Man arrested after breaking into ex-wife's home, setting fire

MOUNT HOLLY, NC (FOX 46 WJZY) - A man has been arrested for arson and attempted murder along with several other charges after he set fire to his ex-wife's home, according to the Mount Holly Police Department.

Derrick Leonard Higdon, age 42, was arrested during a traffic stop on N. Main St. a short time after the fire was set.

Officers notified the Mount Holly Fire Department and crews responded to the scene. According to reports, the house sustained major damage and a family pet was killed in the flames.

The victim told officers that Higdon is her ex-husband. She says he forced his way into the home while she was inside and set a fire inside of the house. The victim escaped and wasn't injured during the fire.

Higdon is charged with first degree arson, breaking and entering, attempted first degree murder and animal cruelty. He is being held on a $1 million bond at the Gaston County Jail.